Major League Soccer hopes to identify an owner for a New York City expansion team next year, with an eye on the club taking the field at a new stadium in Queens in 2016.

Speaking to reporters this week in Manhattan, MLS president Mark Abbott said, "This is our priority in terms of our next expansion, which will be our 20th team. We haven’t made a determination about the timeline for expansion beyond that."

Regarding construction of a league-funded 25,000-seat stadium in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Abbott said, “I don’t see any particular hurdles. ... While there will undoubtedly be bumps in terms of construction and other things that can arise, we’re very confident in our ability to complete the project."

Stadium opponents have argued that the facility will require the use of an unacceptable amount of park land. Abbott said Wednesday that the acre of “green space” required to build the stadium will be replaced “elsewhere,” along with “whatever parkland is taken up by the stadium.” In addition, the league has promised to refurbish nine community soccer fields expected to be impacted by the construction.

"What we believe is that because of the economic development we’re bringing, by making the park a better park and by bringing a game that the neighborhood and community loves, and by being part of that neighborhood and community, there will be strong support for the project," Abbott said. "We’re very optimistic about how that process will work."

Construction would start in 2014. MLS executives have said repeatedly that the league has been in contact with a number of potential owners for the New York City team and that the expansion fee could be as high as $100 million. The New York Cosmos, who will play in the second-tier NASL next season, are among the groups vying to become the 20th MLS club.